Snap-in contact terminal

ABSTRACT

The invention is directed to a one-piece snap-detent mounted terminal for use in electrical fixtures. A predominant feature of the invention resides in the fact that the disposition of the snap-detent within the fixture augments detent action so that the contact is virtually held substantially irremovable during use. Further, the terminal can be manually assembled into the fixture with the utmost ease. Removal of the terminal, however, requires considerable effort.

States Patent ulifield et al. Feb. 22, 1972 [54] SNAP-EN CONTACT TERMINAL [72] Inventors: Joseph Frederick Duifield, Georgetown, [56] References Cited Ontario; Zdzislaw R. Godziemha-Dambski, UNITED STATES PATENTS Bolton, Ontario, both of Canada 1,747,896 2 1930 G t .339 l [73] Assignee: Smith & Stone Limited, Toronto, Ontario, 2,015,421 941935 z zi ct Canadaby Dlmeld 2,762,026 9/1956 Knohl ..339/217 x [22] Filed: Apr. 6, 1970 Primary Examiner-Richard E. Moore [21] Appl' 23094 AttorneyCushman,Darby&Cushman Related 0.8. Application Data 5 7] ABSTRACT C'tf..16,1,.,68, [63] ommua 0 Ser No 7 65 Mar 26 19 The invention 1s directed to a one-piece snap-detent mounted abandoned.

terminal for use in electrical fixtures. A predominant feature 30 F A u 6 P 1 D m of the invention resides in the fact that the disposition of the l 1 pp ca on y a snap-detent within the fixture augments detent action so that Jan. 23, I968 Canada ..010,546 th onta t i virtually held substantially irremovable during use. Further, the terminal can be manually assembled into the US. Cl. S, R, R, fixture the utmost ease Removal of the terminal how- 339/263 R ever, requires considerable effort. [51] Int. Cl ..H0lr 9/08 [58] Field of Search ..339/198, 217, 194 11 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 220 23 22 l4 l6 as 40' 2 l l SNAP-IN CONTACT TERMINAL This is a continuation of application, Ser. No. 716,165, filed Mar. 26, 1968, now abandoned.

This invention relates to electrical fixtures and snap-in electrical contacts for use therewith.

It has been common practice to provide electrical fixtures, formed of electrically insulative materials, with conductive members and terminals wherein such are attached to the fixtures by molded-in or by bonded studs, threaded inserts and the like. The provision of such forms of attachment has not only required the use of additional metal, which metal in many cases forming no part of the electrical circuit, but also of the incorporation of wasteful thickness of insulative material to permit adequate bonding or threading. Further, many such fixtures incorporate unnecessary assembly operations, with consequential increased costs.

The present invention is concerned with snap-in-type terminals which may be completely subassembled and subsequently manually pressed into electrical fixtures with no assistance from tools. Apart from simplifying assembly and saving metal, the associated fixture may contain the minimuin quantity of bulk material.

It is an object of one feature of the invention to provide a snap-in-type electrical terminal.

In accordance with the foregoing object, the invention broadly comprises a relatively thin striplike portion, a pair of opposed ends, an upturned tongue adjacent one of said ends and resiliently deformable about an axis disposed parallel with said one end.

It is an object of another feature of the invention to provide a novel electrical fixture especially suitable for use with snapin terminals.

In accordance with this other feature, the invention comprises an electrical fixture having a snap-in contact receiving location comprising a pair of opposed abutments for substantially inhibiting endwise movement of a snap-in contact, positioned therein, means adjacent one said abutment for retaining an associated end of said snap-in contact, a slot in the other said abutment forming a detent for cooperating with said upturned tongue, and where said snap-in contact comprises a relatively thin striplike portion, a pair of opposed ends, an upturned tongue adjacent one of said ends and resiliently deformable about an axis disposed parallel with said one end.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an inverted plan view of a lamp-holder known in the trade as a ceiling receptacle,

FIG. 2 is a side view of the lamp-holder shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a side view, in section along the line 3-3 in FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a side view of a novel snap-in electrical contact, and,

FIG. 5 is an oblique view of a portion of the lamp-holder shown in FIG. 1 showing a snap-in contact in position.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 there is shown a receptacle generally indicated at 1. The receptacle 1 includes a flange 11 suitably apertured at 12 for the passage of usual mounting screws. A central hollow portion 13 is internally threaded to receive, for example, an electric lamp, and has a closed top portion 14 and a center contact assembly 15, forming no part of the present invention, riveted as at 16 to the bottom portion With particular reference to FIGS. 3 and 5, there is shown a double-walled riblike portion 17 forming a hollow space into which terminal screws, for example, 40, 41 may be accommodated.

The riblike portion 17 has an inner wall 18 formed by the central hollow portion 13 and on outer wall 19. The doublewalls of the riblike portion 17 join the inner and outer walls 18 and 19, wherein the outer wall 19 is shorter than the inner wall 18 thereby providing an upwardly sloping contact receiving location 20. The outer wall 19 includes a protuberance 21 which generally makes an acute angle with the contact receiving location 20. The hollow central portion 13 includes an aperture 22 adjacent the top portion 14 and disposed substantially symmetrically with the riblike portion 17, the aperture providing passage of part of a snap-in contact to be described, and with the unapertured part of the bottom forms recess 220.

One of the sidewalls 17 may be extended as at 23 to provide additional strength and to partially protect and facilitate electrical connections to be described.

Referring now to 3, 4, and 5 there is shown a snap-in electrical contact generally indicated at 5. The contact includes a flat striplike portion 51, an upturned tongue 52 and a downturned portion 53. The contact includes a pair of threaded apertures to receive terminal screws 40 and 41. A downturned flange 54 may be included along one edge of the contact. The upturned tongue 52 and downturned portion 53 are resiliently deformable with respect to the striplike portion 51.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 the downturned portion 53 is passed through aperture 22 and forms a skeleton side contact for the receptacle. In order to press the contact 5 completely home, the upturned tongue 52 is at first resiliently deformed until it snaps into aperture 22, where the tongue 52 is held by recess 22a. With the contact 5 thus abutting the contactreceiving surface 20, the acutely angled protuberance 21, and the recess 22a, the contact is locked into position. In the particular embodiment illustrated, the reception of an electric light bulb or other male threaded device, serves only to further inhibit unlocking of the contact. In fact, the receptacle 1, as a whole, would have to be destroyed to release the contact.

It is obvious that the embodiment applied to a receptacle provides a one-piece terminal, i.e., there are no electrical joints in the path between the terminal per se and the skeleton side contact.

While the preferred embodiment has been illustrated with particular reference to a ceiling receptacle, it is obvious that the principle and novelty of the invention can be equally applied to a simple striplike contact having only the resilient upturned tongue, or that the contact receiving member, with which the contact will be used, incorporates at least opposed end abutments and a recess for cooperating with the upturned tongue.

What is claimed is:

1. For use on an electrical fixture having a snap-in contact receiving location comprising a pair of opposed abutments for substantially inhibiting endwise movement of a received snapin contact when received at said location and including retaining means adjacent one of the abutments and means defining a detent in the other of said abutments,

a snap-in terminal comprising:

a relatively thin elongate striplike member provided with a main body portion having a central longitudinal axis and a pair of opposed ends and a deformable tongue integral with one of the said ends, the said tongue being folded back along a line angulated with respect to said longitudinal axis and forming, with the said main body portion, an acute angle; and

a resilient tab integral and substantially coplanar with the said tongue and disposed adjacent the said line;

said tongue being cooperable with the detent means of the electrical fixture and the opposite end of the elongated striplike member being retainable by the retaining means of the electrical fixture upon snapping said snap-in terminal into the snap-in contact receiving location of the electrical fixture;

said tab being formed by partially piercing out and bending an element of the said tongue along three lines of severance.

2. A snap-in electrical terminal according to claim 1 wherein said main body portion has a pair of sides and wherein there is provided a flange along one of the said sides.

3. A snap-in electrical terminal according to claim 2 further including wire connecting means on the said main body portion.

4. A snap-in terminal as defined in claim 1 further including at least one threaded hole in said main body portion for receiving a terminal screw.

5. A snap-in terminal as defined in claim 1 wherein the said tongue and the said tab are substantially disposed symmetrically about a plane passing through the said longitudinal axis.

6. An electrical fixture having a snap-in contact receiving location comprising a pair of opposed abutments for substantially inhibiting endwise movement of a snap-in contact positioned therein, a snap-in contact positioned in said receiving location and comprising a relatively thin elongate striplike member provided with a main body portion having a central longitudinal axis and a pair of opposed ends and a resiliently deformable tongue integral with one of the said ends, the said tongue being folded back along a line angulated with respect to said longitudinal axis and forming, with the said main body portion, an acute angle; means adjacent one of the said abutments for retaining an associated end of the said snap-in contact, a slot in the other said abutment forming a detent for cooperating with the said tongue.

7. An electrical fixture as defined in claim 6 further including an aperture in said fixture adjacent said slot for receiving the said tab.

8. An electrical fixture as defined in claim 7 further including a receptacle having a side contact formed by the said tongue.

9. An electrical fixture as defined in claim 8 wherein the said receptacle is internally threaded.

10. An electrical fixture as defined in claim 9 further including center contact means.

11. An electrical fixture as defined in claim 10 wherein the said fixture includes a flanged portion for cooperation with and mounting on an associated outlet base, said female receptacle including center contact means. 

1. For use on an electrical fixture having a snap-in contact receiving location comprising a pair of opposed abutments for substantially inhibiting endwise movement of a received snap-in contact when received at said location and including retaining means adjacent one of the abutments and means defining a detent in the other of said abutments, a snap-in terminal comprising: a relatively thin elongate striplike member provided with a main body portion having a central longitudinal axis and a pair of opposed ends and a deformable tongue integral with one of the said eNds, the said tongue being folded back along a line angulated with respect to said longitudinal axis and forming, with the said main body portion, an acute angle; and a resilient tab integral and substantially coplanar with the said tongue and disposed adjacent the said line; said tongue being cooperable with the detent means of the electrical fixture and the opposite end of the elongated striplike member being retainable by the retaining means of the electrical fixture upon snapping said snap-in terminal into the snap-in contact receiving location of the electrical fixture; said tab being formed by partially piercing out and bending an element of the said tongue along three lines of severance.
 2. A snap-in electrical terminal according to claim 1 wherein said main body portion has a pair of sides and wherein there is provided a flange along one of the said sides.
 3. A snap-in electrical terminal according to claim 2 further including wire connecting means on the said main body portion.
 4. A snap-in terminal as defined in claim 1 further including at least one threaded hole in said main body portion for receiving a terminal screw.
 5. A snap-in terminal as defined in claim 1 wherein the said tongue and the said tab are substantially disposed symmetrically about a plane passing through the said longitudinal axis.
 6. An electrical fixture having a snap-in contact receiving location comprising a pair of opposed abutments for substantially inhibiting endwise movement of a snap-in contact positioned therein, a snap-in contact positioned in said receiving location and comprising a relatively thin elongate striplike member provided with a main body portion having a central longitudinal axis and a pair of opposed ends and a resiliently deformable tongue integral with one of the said ends, the said tongue being folded back along a line angulated with respect to said longitudinal axis and forming, with the said main body portion, an acute angle; means adjacent one of the said abutments for retaining an associated end of the said snap-in contact, a slot in the other said abutment forming a detent for cooperating with the said tongue.
 7. An electrical fixture as defined in claim 6 further including an aperture in said fixture adjacent said slot for receiving the said tab.
 8. An electrical fixture as defined in claim 7 further including a receptacle having a side contact formed by the said tongue.
 9. An electrical fixture as defined in claim 8 wherein the said receptacle is internally threaded.
 10. An electrical fixture as defined in claim 9 further including center contact means.
 11. An electrical fixture as defined in claim 10 wherein the said fixture includes a flanged portion for cooperation with and mounting on an associated outlet base, said female receptacle including center contact means. 